The Last Song
by MissJinny
Summary: Songfic: Vegeta is torn after Trunks' death by Cell. The Last Song Elton John.


disclaimer: I do not own DBZ though I do entertain fantasies that are purely mine. *evil grin*  
a/n: I'm hoping this will turn out to be a tear jerker, I guess we'll see.  
"..." denotes speaking; ~~...~~ denotes song lyrics  
The Last Song -- Elton John  
Vegeta wandered around the wreckage that was left after Cell was finally destroyed. The others had left and gone off to Kami's Lookout with the Dragonballs, he could care less at this moment. Kicking rocks and dust he searched the ground for something important. His uniform was in tatters, dried blood was flaking lightly off of his cheek and several other abrasions. He just needed to find it before he could feel solace, he needed to see and touch and release what tension and anger he had cramped in a tight ball in his chest. The pressure was almost too much, he refused to let it overtake him, that's why he needed this.  
  
He saw it, nestled under a pile of rubble, a swath of lilac in a mosaic of sand.  
  
~~Yesterday, you came to lift me up as light as straw and brittle as a bird. Today I weight less than a shadow on the wall, just one more whisper of a voice unheard.~~  
  
Scooping handfuls of dirt and throwing stones, the body of his son emerged slowly from the ground that encased him. The boy lay lifeless, the hole in his chest a striking reminder of the events that had passed only a few hours ago. Vegeta pulled the body from the rest of the rubble and lay it carefully on one of the few patches of grass left intact. Sighing he moved the hair from the boy's face and sat cross-legged beside him, looking stiffly down at his future son. As he stared, Vegeta could see some stark resemblances he had failed to see before. The sharp nose, the heavy brow, high cheekbones and lean build. He felt like an idiot not seeing it before, it was only a fluke that Kakkarot had slipped up weeks ago and he overheard that the light haired teen was his offspring.   
  
When they had entered the hyperbolic time chamber, he had grunted his acceptance that they train together; inside he was nervous. What a laugh, the prince of all saiyajin, nervous about being alone with his own son. He had fought the feelings and delved into training, practically ignoring his protige as he concentrated on himself. Silently he had watched the boy work, admired his persistance even though he scoffed at his fawlies. He had seen Trunks turn away, cheeks burning in shame on more than one occasion. Vegeta had resisted the urge to take back what he said with a fatherly tone but only got angry with himself for his weakness and trained harder away from the boy until the feelings passed.  
  
When Cell had returned, they were all shocked beyond belief. But as Vegeta watched the undying enemy raise a hand to his son, his own heart felt the pierce of the blast; and then he felt it shrivel and fall into his stomach as the boys face contorted in pain and shock as he crumpled in death.   
  
~~Tomorrow, leave the windows open; as fear grows please hold me in your arms. Won't you help me if you can to shake this anger, I need your gentle hands to keep me calm.~~  
  
He should have seen it and saved him.  
  
Blinking, Vegeta watched as shadows moved across Trunks' features. Time was passing slowly, he wasn't sure how long he had been sitting in the ruins waiting for a twitch to show that life had returned. "Boy, why did you have to come here?" Sighing he ran a shakey hand through his spikes. His insides were twisted, he didn't enjoy feelings other than hate, anger and abandonment. At least with negative emotion he had decades of practice, he could control a bad situation better than any living being across the galaxies. He wasn't sure what to do with these new ones that carved into his insides deeper than any hurtful remark or blasephemous memory ever had. They were comforting in their own way, he enjoyed them in his private time. Taking them out to review and genuinely smiling to himself as they warmed what was left of his tattered soul. The only problem with them was that they connected to a spot much deeper and seldom touched; when they were wrenched out of that soft spot they hurt and ebbed a sapping pain through his whole being. And they were always wrenched out.  
  
~~'Cause I never thought I'd lose. I only thought I'd win, I never dreamed I'd feel this fire beneath my skin. I can't believe you love me, I never thought you'd come. I guess I've misjudged love between a father and his son.~~  
  
A breeze blew a small lock of hair across Trunks' face, Vegeta brushed it aside neatly tucking it behind a cool ear. "You had to dredge up all of that weakness didn't you?" Vegeta snorted and then smirked at the stone face. "Wanted to see the cold hearted bastard cry didn't you?" Squeezing his eyes shut, Vegeta wished the damning tears to go away, to stop brewing in his belly where he could feel them heat. Feeling suddenly self conscious he turned his back to the boy that lay on the ground, covering his face with his hands and bit the insides of his mouth.   
  
The sky darkened drastically behind him, Vegeta never noticed only tried to keep the tears trapped behind his lids. Somewhere Shenlon bloomed out of seven balls and heard the wishes of a small handful of people. Life across the countryside awoke, shaking their heads to the confusion in their minds; trying to understand why they were sleeping in the middle of nowhere. The sky brightened again, the dark pulling away as seven balls zipped across the globe and embedded themselves into glaciers and mountains. A small breath eased into stiff lungs and dry eyes cracked open, staring up at clouds. Sitting slowly, slender fingers touched a thudding headache that slowly dissipated. Flexing stiffened muscles, Trunks touched the hole in his chest plate and felt himself as whole. With a wide grin he looked around himself before staring at the shaking shoulders to his left.  
  
~~Things we've never said come together, the hidden truth no longer haunting me. Tonight we touched on things that were never spoken that kind of understanding sets me free.~~  
  
Touching one of the shoulders, Trunks saw his father tense and turn with shocked, wet eyes. Scrubbing at them quickly with the back of his gloved hands he plastered a wavering smirk to his face. "Well it seems they've wished everyone back with the Dragonballs."  
  
Trunks rubbed his upperarm, disconcerted at the emotional outburst he seemed to have interrupted. "Yea...I..I guess so." Vegeta stood with a sniff as he looked down on his son with somber eyes. Shifting uncomfortably on the earth, Trunks pulled himself to his feet but stumbled as pins and needles tingled up his legs. Vegeta caught him, a strong arm bracing his chest as he set the boy back on his feet.  
  
"Being dead isn't quite what you expect, ne?" Vegeta smirked as Trunks tenderly rubbed the blood back through his thighs.   
  
Trunks smiles, "I guess not, but I never really thought about death..." Trunks looked at his feet, "Being surrounded by it made me try to think of better things." Vegeta grunted with a sharp nod, he crossed his arms over his chest and watched as the boy replayed memories across his mind's eye. Whether they were one's from his past or ones that had just transpired he didn't know. Vegeta turned, bound to head for Capsule Corps but was stopped by a soft voice. "Dad..."  
  
Cocking an eyebrow, Vegeta looked up at his son. "What is it?"  
  
Trunks pushed the hair from his face, "I was just...I mean you were..." Trunks shook his head, the locks he had just placed falling back into his face. Vegeta hnned. With a small smile, Trunks shook his shaggy head, "Nothing."  
  
~~'Cause I never thought I'd lose, I only thought I'd win. I never dreamed I'd feel this fire beneath my skin, I can't believe you love me. I never thought you'd come, I guess I've misjudged love between a father and his son.~~  
  
The whole group had turned out for Trunks' departure. Gohan waving goodbye ecstatically from the ground with a look of sadness on his young face. The other smiled and waved, Bulma wiping her eyes with a tissue and blowing kisses as she sobbed out her farewells. Trunks smiled at them and waved back as the pod lifted slowly into the air. He saw Vegeta, half turned away with his arms crossed over his chest. His smile slipped slightly but he waved goodbye to his father's back. Just before he lifted too far, Vegeta turned and gave a curt nod as he stared at the boy that had twisted up his insides and complicated his life in only a couple of weeks.  
  
Trunks smiled again to his father and pressed his fingertips to the glass, the past days were the only memories he would ever have of his father. A strong fighter, thick skinned and generally one hell of an amazing man. He was reluctant to let him go.  
The pod split the air with a sharp crack and Trunks was gone. Everyone left at their liesure, making short small talk with the others as they walked away. Vegeta looked at the spot where his son had dissappeared. It was hard to imagine how one young man could shake up his foundations so deeply. Vegeta shook his head and walked toward the gravity room, he would see his son again in this time; hopefully he could learn to control the emotions that ate at him. A new problem scratched at the back of his mind that only added to his problems. He realized for one of the few moments in his life, he was scared; scared he would be a bad father. With a deep grunt he ran a hand down his face. "Damn it boy..." As he reached the door to the gravity room he looked to see Bulma holding his new son and making him wave goodbye to Gohan and ChiChi as they left. Shutting the door again he walked toward the two and picked the boy from his mother's arms with one hand.  
  
"Vegeta! What do you think you're doing!!" Bulma shrieked and tried to snatch the baby from his grasp but Vegeta slapped her hand away.  
  
"Go clean or something woman." With a small scowl he settled the child into the crook of his arm and looked at him. With a huff and a small smile Bulma walked away, watching them from the corner until Vegeta glared at her and she retreated into the house. Looking back at the baby in his arms, Vegeta smirked as the boy gripped his finger and scowled up at him. "Trunks," large blue eyes looked into his father's face and he smiled up as Vegeta said his name. "You're going to be the death of me boy." As the baby cooed and grinned, Vegeta laughed lightly and sat down in the grass. A warm tendril of life wound around his insides and sparked new life in his ravaged soul.  
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a/n: well did I succeed in a teary short fic? I don't think so but it was fun anyway. 


End file.
